Business Incentives
The City of Tallahassee has a number of economic development programs available to eligible businesses and/or property owners. Many of the programs offer specific incentives and funding, while others are planning tools designed to promote economic development; some of the incentives are available only in specific areas, while others are available throughout the City. Listed below are a general description and the primary City point of contact for each program.
Greater Frenchtown/Southside Community Redevelopment Area Commercial Façade Improvement Program Guidelines - Eligible applicants can receive grant funding of up to $50,000 on a one-to-one match with equal owner/tenant funding for façade improvements on commercial structures located within the Greater Frenchtown/ Southside Community Redevelopment Area. The grants are treated as five-year, zero interest, deferred loans that are automatically forgiven in monthly installments over the five-year (60 month) period. Grant funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will be accepted beginning on Monday, October 16th, starting at 8:00 AM. Early applications will not be accepted.
Facade Improvement Program Guidelines & Applications (PDF)
Frenchtown/Southside Community Redevelopment Area Map (PDF)
Rick McCraw • 891-8685 • Economic Development Department
State Enterprise Zone - A joint City and County program that designated approximately 20 square miles of Leon County as a State Enterprise Zone. Businesses that locate or expand their operations are eligible for various state tax credits. Potential benefits include a jobs tax credit for new employees who live within an enterprise zone boundary, rebates of state sales tax paid for equipment and construction materials, a state tax credit for increases in local property taxes due to property improvements, and a state tax credit for donated materials.
Rick McCraw • 891-8685 • Economic Development Department
Community Redevelopment Area - The City established the Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) in 1998 to help support and direct revitalization and redevelopment efforts in select urban core areas of the City. The Tallahassee CRA consists of over 1,450 acres of residential, commercial/retail and industrial land uses, located in parts of Griffin Heights, Frenchtown and Southside neighborhoods. The CRA designation allows for the use of tax increment financing to fund necessary improvements and incentives to encourage reinvestment and redevelopment in designated areas. Although specific incentives have not yet been identified, potential incentives include funding for public improvements and infrastructure to support both redevelopment and new construction. (Update CRA site)
Rick McCraw • 891-8685 • Economic Development Department
Urban Job Tax Credit Program Area - The Tallahassee Urban Job Tax Credit Program (UJTCP) Area was designated in September 1998 and consists of two non-contiguous areas in the Frenchtown and Southside communities, totaling approximately 5.6 square miles. The UJTCP provides state tax credits of between $1,000 and $1,500 per new employee for eligible businesses that locate or expand operations within the designated area. Tax credits can be taken against either the Florida Corporate Income Tax or the Florida Sales and Use Tax. The credit can be used with similar credits under the State Enterprise Zone Program.
Rick McCraw • 891-8685 • Economic Development Department
Targeted Business Pilot Program - A joint City/County pilot program that provides a rebate for a portion of City and County property taxes and development and permit fees for targeted businesses that locate in, or expand their businesses in either the city or the county. To be eligible for the credit, businesses must fall within one of the eleven-targeted industries. The level of rebate which an eligible business can receive is based on a number of factors including the number of jobs created, the percentage of higher paying jobs created, the level of capital investment, location within a targeted area, and environmental sensitivity in the design. Businesses located in the Central City and Southern Strategy Areas are eligible to receive extra points towards the rebate score.
Rick McCraw • 891-8685 • Economic Development Department
Downtown Economic Incentives - This program provides for the reimbursement of site plan, permit and building plan fees for targeted businesses that locate within the designated downtown area. Reimbursement is provided for developments where at least 25 percent of the square footage area is dedicated for entertainment, retail, residential, restaurant or cultural uses.
Rick McCraw • 891-8685 • Economic Development Department
Historic Property Grant and Loan Program - The program was established by the City to provide financial assistance to property owners as an incentive to restore/rehabilitate eligible historic structures. The program is available to all privately-owned properties in the City that are listed in the Local Register of Historic Places and have the Historic Preservation Overlay (HPO) zoning designation. The Myers Park area was recently designated as a Residential Historic District with the HPO zoning designation and the Frenchtown Community is pursuing a similar designation. This Program is dependent on the availability of City funding.
Richelle Johnson • 891-8665 • Economic Development Department
High Wage Employment Slope Exception Policy - Provides an exception to the Environmental Management Ordinance by allowing for a higher level of development of sites with significant slopes if the development will (1) create a minimum of 20 new jobs and (2) 30 percent of the employees are at a salary that exceeds the average annual salary for Leon County.
Michael Parker • 891- 8886 • Economic Development Department
Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund Program - A joint State, County, City and Economic Development Council program that provides tax rebates to targeted industries that establish new operations or expand existing operations within the City. Provides tax refunds of up to $5,000 per new job created. This increases to $7,500 for projects within a State Enterprise Zone. This program requires local government financial participation.
Beth Kirkland • 521-3114 • Economic Development Council
Quick Response Training Program - A joint State, County, City and Economic Development Council program that provides funding for customized employee training for targeted industries that establish new operations or expand existing operations within the City.
Beth Kirkland • 521-3114 • Economic Development Council
Expedited Permitting - Provides streamlined procedures for plan and permit review and approval for certain advanced technology projects. Program designed to operate in conjunction with the State Office of Trade, Tourism and Economic Development to attract large advanced technology projects that would provide a minimum of 250 new full time technology jobs.
Dwight Arnold • 891-7100 • Growth Management Department
Southside Business Park - An amendment to the transportation element of the Comprehensive Plan provides for the implementation of a long term transportation concurrency management system that would allow the development of a major business park(s) in the Southern Strategy Area. For further details click here.
Dwight Arnold • 891-7100 • Growth Management Department
Brownfields - The City of Tallahassee has designated two Brownfield areas: the Cascades Park Infill and Redevelopment Area and Gaines Street. While the Cascades site is proposed to become the keystone property of the Capital Cascades Trail Urban Greenway, developments in the Gaines Street corridor may qualify for the many incentives and bonuses provided by the Florida's Brownfields redevelopment program. The Gaines Street corridor was an EPA National Brownfield Demonstration Pilot; numerous site investigations have been prepared; and a comprsehensive redevelopment plan and implementing strategy have been adopted.
Rick McCraw • 891-8685 • Economic Development Department